Getting to School a Different Way
by Madhatter1981
Summary: What might have happened if Harry hadn't gone with Ron in the car to get to Hogwarts before second year. Will have Weasley bashing in upcoming chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Getting to School a Different Way**

**A/N****: **Don't own, don't get any compensation from. Just for fun

Harry couldn't believe what had happened; his supposed best friend had just left him in the middle of London, just because Harry didn't want to take an extremely risky method to Hogwarts. Harry figured that there had to be a safer method to get to Hogwarts, like the floo; no matter how much he didn't like it. Also if any muggle saw Ron flying the car to Hogwarts then not only he, but also the Weasleys and possibly Wizarding Britain as a whole, could be in trouble given what the fall out could be. After "meeting" Voldemort last year, Harry made a promise that he would do his best to have an event free year at Hogswarts.

Unfortunately being "locked" out of the passage to the Hogwarts Express sure put a damper on his resolution, it was hard to have an event free year at Hogswart if in the process of trying to get to the place you're stymied. While Harry figured that while Dobby honestly believed that Hogwarts wasn't safe he felt that he could handle what ever came at him this year as easily as he did last year. That Dobby would be able to do something like this shocked him.

Harry didn't know what he was going to do, he had to get to Hogswarts, the other option was unthinkable. If he arrived back at his relatives house, especially after how he departed it this summer, Uncle Vernon would probably just out and out kill him and take his chances, Aunt Petunia would probably cheer him on too.

"Harry?" A voice brought the pondering wizard out of his funk. Looking up Harry blanched as he saw the parents of his friend and owner of the car that was currently being driven to Hogwarts right now by said friend; Arthur and Molly Weasley.

"Why aren't you on the train, Harry?" Molly questioned, as soon as he was asked, everything came out; how the barrier blocked him and Ron, how the two boys had a fight and Ron decided to fly the car to Hogwarts while Harry decided to stay and wait for someone who could help him get to Hogwarts, how Dobby made a mess for his relatives, and his uncle beat him and locked him up in his room only giving him just enough to live on in daily rations, and that he shared that food with Hedwig to keep his owl from starving.

Upon hearing everything that Harry had been going through over the summer, the Weasley parents had two wildly different reactions to the boy's tale. Arthur was horrified that anyone would treat a child like that and promised himself that he would do something nice for his three youngest boys, including cutting Molly off when she got going about some of their less horrible pranks.

Molly on the other hand was rather glad to hear how awful Harry's home life was as it would make it easier to get him and Ginny together if she could show him how a loving "proper" family treated one another. Molly also felt irritation over the fact that Fred and George were correct in how Harry was being treated, she knew that once they heard that they were correct in their action, and it was just a case of Muggle guardians being nervous about the wizarding world then they would use the fact that they were right about Harry to try to wiggle out of proper punishments over the summer, never caring that their actions could lead to the further shame and degradation of the Weasley family, although really her husband had that handled well enough on his own, toying around with muggle junk. Realizing that this wasn't the best time to think about this as evident by both Harry's and her husband's searching looks towards her, Molly smiled at Harry.

"Well it sounds as though we will just have to find an alternate way to get you to school, Harry." The Weasley matriarch was all smiles while she was writing a howler in her head to Ron, as well as Fred and George for taking the car in the first place and influencing Ron.

While it might seem like the Weasley family was one big happy family, if you look closer you would start to see the cracks. Molly had ensnared Arthur thinking that he had money, as the Weasley family had successfully been keeping the fact that they were poorer and poorer each generation from the outside world. When Arthur had proposed to her after she had tricked him into impregnating her with their first child the fact that the Weasley family had been tricked out of most of their fortune by the Malfoy family years ago came to light, the Weasleys not telling anybody about it due to their shame. Molly nearly killed Arthur in her rage, all the worse due to the fact that as she had tricked him into impregnating her they had to get married, by wizarding law.

If Molly had just kept her mouth shut after her marriage everything would have been alright, but the redhead witch was too ashamed and angry at how she had tricked herself into the poor house to be quiet and blabbed about her lot in life to a couple of "trusted" witches such as Delores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter, two old friends from her days at Hogwarts. What Molly didn't know was the career paths the two women had chosen for themselves that of a ministry flunky and a muckraking reporter.

Then came the day she met Harry Potter, and everything appeared to turn around for her, or so she thought. There was this wide eyed young boy who turned out to be richer than Midas and seemed to be overwhelmed by everything around him. The perfect kind of person to treat as a patsy, she would just show the boy some kindness and he would do anything to repay them, including marrying into the family that treated him so well just so that he could show his thanks by paying them the largest bride price ever to be recorded. Now her youngest son seemed to be in a position to squander all of her dreams.

She couldn't believe that Ronald would do something so stupid, as to take an illegally modified automobile and use it to get to Hogswarts; she wondered what that boy was thinking, sometimes she really did. How were they supposed to entice Harry to enter a relationship with Ginny when various family members where so willing to break the law, and she thought she only had the twins to watch out for. Hearing her husband and Harry further ahead of her, Molly scampered to catch up; what she heard when she got there was quite a surprise.

"Actually Ron and I don't have that much in common really, not that I'm not thankful that he, Fred and George came and rescued me from my relatives, but all Ron seems to care about is food, quidditch and chess, pretty much in that order. While I do enjoy the physicality of quidditch and consider my self a good chess player against anyone save Ron, I don't find either of those things to be the end all be all of life as he does. Ron also seems to think that anyone he didn't get along with was automatically evil and kept away a good number of people that tried to be my friend last year." Harry finished.

Molly went to defend her son and was shushed by her husband, to her great surprise. Arthur had paid a bit more attention around the house this summer to make sure that Ginny's fairly obvious crush didn't embarrass Harry too much while the boy stayed over this summer. What he had seen had given him cause for worry.

Molly had spent most of the time that Harry was in the same room with her talking about how Harry was "just as good as family", not noticing Harry either looking at her strangely or wincing and actually shying away from her when she'd put her hands on him in a comforting way after she said that during the beginning of his stay with them, this lead Arthur to believe that not everything was right at Harry's home. Molly scoffed at that, commenting that Dumbledore would leave the savior of the wizarding world with someone that would do what the twins said they did and the twins had just been trying to get out of punishment, and Harry was too nice to contradict them.

Arthur, while he was talking to Harry had decided to go to Amelia Bones after he got Harry situated and try to preemptively deal with some of the things that had come up today. He didn't have any certainty that he would survive the day with his career intact, but he figured that a preemptive strike might help; in any case it would get him away from his wife's haranguing him about how stupid he was to tinker with muggle junk, which considering that he had taken the day off originally seemed to be what he had been in for.

Realizing that they had walked to the floo section of platform 9¾ Arthur found his musings turning towards how difficult it was for Harry to travel by fireplace, as was evident with how the lad shot out of the Weasley's fireplace on their way back from Diagon Alley. Thinking about it for a minute, Arthur realized that he and Molly had just expected Harry to understand how to get around by floo due to his statue as the Boy-Who-Lived and never really considered what Harry's upbringing did or did not contain. Turning to Harry, Arthur asked the question that seemed somewhat ludicrous to him even with all that he had thought about in the last couple of minutes.

"Harry, has anyone ever shown you how to travel by floo?" Arthur asked his youngest son's friend earnestly while his wife scoffed in the background. Arthur had to admit that if he had given it any thought before today he would have reacted similarly to his wife but things that he had seen had led him to believe that Harry knew virtually none of the things that he needed to know to survive in the wizarding world, never mind the simple things that people expected him to know, such as navigating the floo easily. Arthur's suspicions were surprisingly confirmed when The-boy-who-lived shook his head in the negative to both his and Molly's surprise. Resolving to look into what exactly Harry's home life was, and whether his son's were lying or not later, Arthur decided to explain the other way that wizards get around.

"Well what about apparition, have you experienced side-apparition before?" Arthur inquired. After being explained that apparition was a way to get from one location to the other by means of self-transportation, Harry replied in the positive, explaining that it sounded similar to how he got on the roof of his primary school when his cousin's gang was chasing him.

Arthur was shocked at what he had heard; a boy too young to go to school had completed an un-aimed apparition without spliching or causing some other magical problem for himself. Arthur wonder what the healers at St. Mungos' would think about what Harry just said, given that it was believed that seventeen was the youngest someone could try apparition due to that being the average age that a witch or wizards magical core settles. From what Harry had just told him, Arthur decided that apparition would be the best way to get Harry to Hogswart. After bidding Harry to release Hedwig, assuring the boy that his owl would probably get to Hogswarts roughly an hour after them with no trouble, Arthur turned to his wife.

"Molly, I'm going to apparate Harry to Hogswart now, after that I'll go into work to preemptively try to get ahead of the trouble Ron might get us into for stealing the car and flying it to Hogswart. Assuming everything turns out ok, I'll come home and we'll have a talk about how you're raising our children." Throughout Arthur's statement Molly attempted to open her mouth to protest what her husband was say but Arthur didn't give her a chance.

"Furthermore, whether or not I do or don't have a job you will be pursuing employment for at least the time that the kids are at Hogwarts now that Ginny is at Hogwarts. You will need something to keep you occupied and as you always get after me to take a better paying job you now have no reason not to enter the job force as well. I expect you to find a job before the children return from school, I'm sure there are employers that are willing to employ someone from the fall to the spring and let you have most of summer off. After all, Percy and the twins are all old enough to be able to look after themselves as well as looking after their younger siblings. If you want I'm also willing to talk to Bill and Charlie and see if they can take some time off during the summer to keep an eye on their younger siblings, though I don't see that as necessary." Arthur finished.

Molly was quite annoyed that Arthur was making her get a job, in her opinion a women's place was at home while the husband was the bread winner. Arthur's promise to try to get her eldest boys home more often was quite a tempting offer however, one worth consideration. Neither of them knew that by the Christmas break their roles would be quite different than what they were used to at the Burrow.

Harry was just about to excuse himself from the Weasley parents as they seemed to be set to get into a rather good row. Harry's experience with adults having a row lead to him either getting beaten, thrown into his cupboard, withheld food for any length of time or all three. While the Weasleys seemed nicer than the Dursleys the conditioning that Harry lived his life under had him quietly creeping away from the arguing redheads.

Arthur, realizing that he was getting somewhat off the subject by arguing with his wife, looked around and saw Harry trying to make himself small and unnoticeable as his friends' parents finished their "discussion". Alarm bells ringing quite loudly in his head, Arthur was more determined then ever to do right by Harry, regardless of the costs. Focusing back on his son's friend, Arthur noticed that Harry was looking at him with a puzzled look on his face. Smiling to reassure the boy, Arthur addressed him.

"Well Harry I don't know what you've heard about apparitions but it's one of the easier ways of getting around in the magical world once you've gotten the hang of it. Admittedly it does take some getting used to, but it truly is the fastest way to get someplace, provided you know where you're going." Arthur finished, seeing that his explanation seemed to be making Harry more nervous, instead of calming him, as was his intention. Deciding to start again Arthur told Harry what he needed him to do in order to get to where they were going.

"I am going to let Hedwig out of her cage so that she can fly on to Hogwarts and meet you there; she should arrive roughly at the same time as the Express does." Seeing the worried look on Harry's face, Arthur smiled at how quickly the boy had connected with his familiar, something that usually happens much later in the life of a wizard or witch if it does at all. It was said that those witches and wizards that do form such a bond with their familiar will be some of the most powerful magicals in history. Thinking about his suspicions of Harry's home life the smile dropped from Arthur's face. Realizing that he could have a fight on his hands, Arthur attempted to address the boy's concerns.

"Harry have you used Hedwig to send any messages since you've gotten her?" Arthur asked Harry. Seeing Harry shake his head in the negative caused Arthur to frown, one of the principle views of familiars was that they needed to be able to explore from time to time, to stretch their wings, if you forgive the pun, in order to fully connect with their and their familiar's magic. Keeping a wizard's familiar locked up could cause significant damage to the magic of both the familiar as well as their wizard or witch, one of the reasons that so many witches and wizards wait till later in their life to acquire their familiar, so they have the space and time to attend to them.

"I don't know if you were told this when you got Hedwig but she needs to be allowed the freedom to fly regularly in order for her magic to grow and not potentially damage her." Arthur explained to Harry, upon hearing this Harry got a nervous look on his face. This was something that would never be allowed at the Dursleys, if he went back after next year and told his relatives this they would be liable to kill Hedwig outright than have anymore "freakiness" in their nice normal existence. Seeing the look on Harry's face Arthur once again promised to look into Harry's home life, thinking about how Harry arrived this past summer he should have realized that something other than what it seemed was going on. While the twins like the odd joke and prank, they never purposely did anything that would break the law or otherwise harm anyone in the family, well not often enough to direct attention to themselves.

Arthur, after thinking it over, decided that he would have to have a talk with both Molly and Percy about how they treat the other members of the family. After all, one should expect support from their family, even if said family didn't agree with what they chose as a career, so long as the career didn't endanger either themselves or others around them. Unlike his wife, Arthur thought that Percy shouldn't work for the Ministry and instead had tried to get his son interested in apprenticing to a master and learn how to do something beneficial like Bill and Charlie were doing. Molly quickly put a stop to this train of thought in Percy and he was set to go to the Ministry all the way. Arthur could only hope that it worked out the way that both his son and wife wanted it to. Little did he know that by the end of the day there would be no Weasley's working at the Ministry for quite some time to come.

Again, realizing that he'd gotten himself off topic, Arthur turned to Harry. After instructing him to let Hedwig loose so that the bird could fly its way to Hogwarts and not be inconvenienced by their method of travel, Arthur grabbed Harry by the shoulder. All of a sudden Harry felt as though he was being dragged through the hose that he used to water Aunt Petunia's flower beds. It was _**not**_ a pleasant experience. As they came out of whatever _that_ was, Harry stumbled away from Arthur and puked up the large breakfast that Molly had fed all of them earlier that morning. Arthur was instantly at Harry's side righting the young wizard, lest he fall flat on his face.

"Steady there lad, that's a good boy, Harry." Arthur's voice was calm and steadying as Harry gasped in huge lung fulls of air as he tried to get his senses back after what he just experienced. Looking around, Harry wasn't sure where they were, it didn't look like the front of Hogwarts as he knew it. For all he knew, after your first year, you enter Hogwarts from a different direction. Harry was sure that Hermione would know, but with her being on the express he couldn't ask her. As another reason that he was angry at Ron filled his head, Arthur grabbed his shoulder again, and while frowning at how Harry tensed up directed the two of them to the school.

As they walked along, Arthur pulled his wand out; after he murmured to it for a bit he cast a spell that caused a silvery translucent weasel to come out of his wand. Arthur flicked his wand in the direction of the castle and the patronus shot off ahead of them in order to notify the staff of Hogwarts that they were coming. Arthur was sure that the teachers would be some what shocked to learn that Harry had difficulty getting there. Besides, he needed Dumbledore's counsel as to how to deal with what his youngest son had done.

As the man and boy came upon the castle proper, they were met with the large form of Hagrid coming out of his hut on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Arthur wondered if Dumbledore had sent him to meet them, whether the great wizard had put some sort of sensory alert charm on the hut to allow Hagrid to know when someone was coming upon his domicile, or if Hagrid had just that much situational awareness. An interesting conundrum, but not something to puzzle just now, besides, any further musings were cut short as Hagrid saw them approaching and with a large grin splitting his face came down to meet them.

" 'Arry, what are you doing here so early, the muggles didn't give you anymore trouble did they?" Hagrid asked, with a look on his face suggesting he'd be more than willing to go and have a "talk" with them if Harry's answer was yes to his question, completely ignoring Arthur. Harry smiled at Hagrid's over protectiveness; when Harry finally got in contact with Hagrid after Dobby stopped messing with his mail, the half giant was ready to go and "talk" to Harry's relatives and remind them how they should be treating their nephew. Harry didn't know if Hagrid lived up to that threat and didn't really want to know, his life with his relatives had been hard enough this past summer, but it was nice to know that there was somebody in the world that would act this way on his behalf. Realizing that he hadn't answered Hagrid's question he replied.

"No Hagrid the muggles haven't given me any trouble, it's actually platform 9¾. I couldn't get on it to board the train to get to Hogwarts. Mr. Weasley found me and apparated me here to Hogwarts and then used some spell to alert you and get me the rest of the way, I guess." Harry explained to his large friend.

Hagrid wasn't sure what to think about what Harry told him, although he was glad that the muggles seemed to be treating Harry better. He never had to deal with the platform when he went to Hogwarts; Dumbledore, the great man, had made a portkey for him that would only work on the days of the train and get him to Hogwarts on time and back the first day and last days of term so that he could skip the cramped conditions of the Hogwarts Express. While Hagrid was sad that the Express was another thing about the normal Hogwarts experience that he didn't get to participate in, the school made up for it in other ways. There was always something interesting happening at Hogwarts. After thinking about it, Hagrid decided to take Harry and Arthur to Dumbledore and let him sort it out.

"C'mon 'Arry, Dumbledore will be wanting to see you and hear what happened himself." Hagrid said, gesturing ahead of himself to the castle beyond. Boy, man and giant walked up to the castle in friendly silence, all three reliving memories of their time at Hogwarts, Harry's as short as it had been thus far. Really of the three only Arthur could be said to have hade mostly pleasurable memories, what with Hagrid getting expelled in his third year and Harry meeting a form of the being that killed his parents and attempted to kill him as well, neither of the two men could say that all of their memories were bad, while Harry was just hoping that this year would be less exciting than the pervious one.

The time to get to the Headmaster's office didn't take very long at all. Harry was sitting in front of the Headmaster's desk with Mr. Weasley on his right. Hagrid had traded them off to Professor McGonagall when they arrived at the entrance to the castle, who took them the rest of the way to the Headmaster's office.

Upon entering the Headmaster's office ('cream egg') Harry was sitting in front of the Headmaster's desk with Mr. Weasley on his right, the Headmaster was behind his desk with McGonagall and Snape on either side of him. Harry, already feeling nervous, felt his nerves ratchet up another notch. He was worried about not taking the train to get to Hogwarts on top of Dobby getting him in trouble with the ministry. The fact that both professors were looking at him in disapproval just made him even tenser. Dumbledore opened his mouth to inquire as to why Harry was so early and why he hadn't taken the Express to get to school when Snape, apparently unable to contain himself started berating Harry.

"So, didn't feel like taking the Express to school, or after riding it last year did you think that you were too good to ride to school like everyone else and demanded that _Weasley_ apperate you to Hogwarts instead?" Snape accused Harry with a sneer on his face. Harry was about to reply, and potentially get a detention before school even began when Dumbledore raised his hand with a frown of disapproval on his face.

"_Severus_! I have spoken to Arthur and by all accounts young Harry here couldn't get past the barrier to Platform 9¾ in order to board the train. I was just about to ask Harry if he wouldn't mind showing me his memory of the event before we go any further."

Here Dumbledore gestured to a cabinet to the side. Upon opening, a stone basin floated out and settled itself upon Dumbledore's desk. Speaking to Harry, Dumbledore explained what he had just taken out.

"Harry, what you see before you is referred to as a pensive. As I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind, I use the pensive to view my memories to get a better handle on them. Also it can be used to show events that have happened to someone else that could be informative to other people. It is this format that we are to use the pensive today. All you have to do Harry, is think of everything that happened to you from arriving a King's Cross station until meeting with Hagrid earlier. I will extract the memory, a painless process I assure you, and store it in the pensive so that we can all observe it. Once we have finished with our observation, your memory will be returned to you and we can discuss what we have learned from it." Dumbledore finished.

Harry was nervous; while he thought that he understood the process as Dumbledore described it the idea of losing his memories for any amount of time filled him with nerves. Ignoring Snape's disbelieving scoff that Harry didn't know how to use something as simple as a pensive and that he was just acting like a dunderhead to gain sympathy, Harry summoned the memories required. Nodding to Dumbledore, Harry felt the strange feeling of his memories being extracted. While there were still what you might call remnants of the memories still in his head they were distant and unfocused. After filling the basin, Dumbledore turned to Harry. Gesturing to the pensive, Dumbledore begin to speak.

"We will now view your memories; by placing a finger upon the memories our consciousness will be drawn into the pensive and we will be able to experience your memories for ourselves. We will not be able to interact or change them however. I would also ask, if you feel up to it, that you accompany us and act as a guide, as they are your memories, as we experience them." After understanding Dumbledore's explanations and feeling relived that he wouldn't be completely violated by Snape seeing what happened, Harry nodded in assent to Dumbledore's proposal.

As Dumbledore explained, with the laying of a finger on the surface of the pensive they were all drawn into Harry memory of what happened. Snape was surprised at Harry's refusal to take the car to school. He figured Harry wouldn't be able to pass up showing off like that. Arthur, seeing what his son did, hoped that Ron arrived at Hogwarts safely while hoping that his job was secure after the fall out from his son's action. Upon being spat out of the pensive and back into their own bodies the people in the room took a minute to gather their thoughts before Dumbledore spoke.

"Hopefully this is a manageable situation that will pass without much difficulty. However, on the chance that isn't the case, after this meeting I will floo Amelia Bones to let her know that Obliviators are needed to be sent along Ronald's likely flight plan. If we're lucky young Ronald will follow the tracks of the Hogwart Express, thereby keeping him relatively out of the sight of muggles. After that is taken care of we will deal with Ronald, once he gets to Hogwarts. Arthur," Here the wizard look up from nervously staring at his shoes, "upon getting to Hogwarts, once Mr. Weasley lands he will be taken and assigned punishment, if everything goes for the best that punishment will just be detention with Mr. Filch, if not then Ronald might face charges of purposely breaking the Statue of Secrecy, although I hope it doesn't go that far." Dumbledore concluded.

Arthur Weasley was a simple wizard, he had a job and family he loved, while his fascination with muggle could occasionally get him in trouble with both the muggle and magical government he was a decent man that just wanted to live his life and be happy and let that be the norm for everyone else. To hear that his hobby could be the cause of him getting into trouble as well as his son filled him with dread. While he had hoped that Ronald would not cause as much trouble as the twins it would appear meeting Harry Potter had put that wish to an end.

Not that Arthur blamed either Harry or Ron for the lad's inferiority complex, he mostly blamed Molly if he was to be honest with himself. Molly was so glad to have a daughter that she somewhat focused completely on Ginny, ignoring Ron and leaving his raising to his brothers, stepping in only when it looked like Fred and George were picking on Ron to much. Arthur did his best to help Ron acclimate to being a wizard going to Hogwarts but there was a larger than normal number of cases that his office was dealing with in the years before Ron left for Hogwarts and he was afraid that the boy somewhat slipped through the cracks in being taught how he was expected to act upon entering Hogwarts. Arthur wondered if he'd get another chance to fix what his and Molly's neglect led to. Realizing that there wasn't much that he could do right now and knowing that there were preparations that he needed to start, Arthur took his leave of Albus' office, giving Harry's shoulder a squeeze upon passing, assuring the boy again that nothing that happened was his fault. After seeing Arthur off, Dumbledore turned and addressed Harry.

"Harry I wish to reiterate what Arthur just said, none of this is your fault. You made your own choice as did Ronald. For now I think it would be best if you were to go to your dorm and unpack your trunk and get ready for the year ahead of you. Minerva," Here Dumbledore look at the Head of Gryffindor, "will you accompany Mr. Potter to his dorm and inform him of the password so that he can get ready for the coming year?" Dumbledore asked his Deputy.

"Come along Potter, we'll get you situated and maybe you'd get started on finishing any summer work that you haven't completed. If you have finished you summer work then I would suggest that you look into the available classes that you can choose from for next year. Remember that you need to pick a minimum of two of them for the up coming school year." McGonagall ended as they arrived at the door to Gryffindor's common room. After telling Harry the password, (wattlebird) McGonagall left Harry to finish with her last minute duties before the rest of the school arrived, impressing upon him what time he need to be at the Great Hall for the opening feast at a quarter to six to arrive with the rest of the students.

It felt odd to Harry to be all alone in the common room without any of the rest of Gryffindor. Harry did what he was bidden; went through his summer course work and made sure that it was ready to be handed in at the start of class. What he wasn't sure about went into a pile to ask Hermione to look over after the feast. After that Harry went up to his dorm room and made sure that his stuff was were it was last year. Upon completing that, Harry opened his charms book and started reading.

Four and a half hours later, an elf (Mipsy) was sent to fetch Harry as the Express was set to arrive in fifteen minutes. Mipsy, seeing that Harry was struggling to put all of his books, parchment, ink and quills back, had everything situated with a wave of her hand. Thanking the elf, Harry threw on his school robe and made his way to the great hall.

Upon sitting down at his customary spot at the Gryffindor table, which felt weird being the only person sitting there, Harry watched the staff situate themselves at the head table. As Harry's eyes swept over the professors he was met with mostly sympathetic faces save Snape who looked like he wanted to hex Harry where he sat. As this was Snape's normal face when looking at Harry, he ignored it.

Noise coming from the entrance of the Great Hall had Harry turning his head that way. He waved at Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell as they came in. Draco Malfoy, after he came in looked as though he was going to come over and give Harry a hard time for not being on the train, he was stopped by Hermione throwing herself at Harry when she saw him.

"Harry, I didn't see you on the train, after not being able to get in contact with you this summer I was worried you weren't going to make it to Hogwarts." Hermione spat out in a rapid fire patter. Seeing some other students looking over at them, Harry took Hermione's hand and led her to the table where he explained what had happened when he had tried to get to the train.

As Harry explained, Hermione's face got more and more worried as she listened to him. Harry's comment that he had warned Dumbledore caused a release of some of the tension from her face, but she was still angry and worried about Ron taking the Car ("really a flying car") and making it to Hogwarts without being seen.

As Hermione ranted and grumbled, Harry continued to eat his dinner. When his friend started muttering under her breath, Harry felt that it was safe enough to pop his head up and take lay of the land. It seemed safe enough with Hermione sitting across the table from him, and Harry groaned, watching the incoming first years trickle in. He noticed Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister staring at him avidly, to his annoyance. He didn't mind Ginny when she wasn't crushing on him but given that that was her default position around him, Harry was considering asking Fred and George to take Ginny aside and explain to her how much being stared at unsettles him.

Harry had just finished his first serving and was starting to dish himself seconds when a shadow fell across the great hall. As Harry started to look up he heard shrieks of fear from around the hall, more worrying was Hermione. Harry didn't hear what she said at first he was too dumbstruck staring at the car that looked like it was going to crash into the ceiling of the great hall.

"I can't believe he's doing this, has Ron lost all of his common sense over the summer?!" Hermione shrieked as she backed away from the table and towards the entrance of the Great Hall along with most of the students, who were also backing away from their places at the table. The students who were to be sorted, Ginny Weasley included, were quickly directed into and alcove off to the side of the hall. Harry stood for a moment stupefied as he watched the Weasley's car, on an apparent collision with the roof of the great hall. Harry still would have been standing where he was if Fred and George hadn't grabbed him under his arms and dragged him with them out of the Great Hall.

The impact, when it came, was much louder than Harry had expected. It sounded as if some giant was trying to force its way through the ceiling with one single punch. Most of the hall screamed with fear. Harry was vindictively pleased to notice that Malfoy was one of those that reacted.

To Harry's great surprise, the masonry of the ceiling seemed to be crumbling and breaking. Looking back up, Harry saw that the car seemed to be about to land all four wheels on the roof of the great hall. Unfortunately the structural damage that the car had already caused on the roof was greater than anyone anticipated. With a great shower of stone and brick, Arthur Weasley's prized Ford Anglia came crashing through the ceiling of the great hall, Ron holding onto the steering wheel in a death grip screaming his way down.

"Anyone who knows it, cast _Aresto Momentum_ at what is coming through the ceiling right now!" Dumbledore ordered in a booming voice. Thinking back on it Harry concluded that the Headmaster had cast _Sonorus_ to be heard over the screaming and shrieking that had started with the realization of the car about to crash into the ceiling.

Calmed by Dumbledore taking charge of the situation, a great number of voices were heard incanting the requested spell, causing the car to slow and come to a stationary and safe stop as it was gently lowered to the ground before the incanters released it from the spell. As he was observing the people around him in the Great Hall, Harry noticed that Hermione was one of the people that had cast the spell that caused the car to slow and then stop.

As the dust and debris cleared from the car's memorable entrance, people got a look at who was at the wheel of the vehicle that came plummeting through the ceiling endangering a great number of students in the process. Ronald Weasley looked as though he had just survived a horrible accident in a granite mind and was still out of it when the professors got to him. Professor McGonagall opened her mouth to assumedly start berating her student when Snape beat her to it.

"So the Express not go enough for you Weasley, had to make a spectacle did we? Well I hope you're happy with yourself. Your family and it's decedents will be paying for it for quite some time I assure you." Seeing Harry in the audience, Snape started to berate him.

"You put him up to this didn't you Potter? Didn't want to get in trouble yourself, left that to Weasley didn't you? Well you'll get what's coming to you rest assured. Two hundred points from Gryffindor apiece, nightly detentions with Filch and I think a ban from the Gryffindor Quidditch team will do nicely as well. You can just hand over that broom. You won't be using it for a while, might as well give it to someone more deserving of it." Snape seemed like he was going to continue in this vein when Dumbledore stopped him.

"_Severus!_" The Headmaster's voice boomed and demanded to be listened to. Snape stopped with a jolt at the tone of the Headmasters voice. Turning, the potion professor winced at the look on his employer's face. Dumbledore had a palatable aura around him and his eyes, instead of twinkling, were flashing lightening at Snape.

"Harry is not at fault here, while I had advanced warning by him of Mister Weasley's means of arriving at Hogwarts, neither he nor I thought that Ronald would arrive in such a notable fashion. You can rest assured that I will talk to the pertinent parties and discuss what reparations, if any, need to be doled out." Dumbledore finished with a look towards Snape that told him to be silent that the professor grudgingly obeyed, sending a glare towards Harry, who by this time had made his way over to the Anglia to check and see if Ron was alright after his crash through the ceiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N****:** One of the reasons that it took so long in writing this chapter was that the impetus for this story was Ron, instead of crashing into the Whomping Willow, crashing into and then through the ceiling of the Great Hall. Having done that in the first chapter I found the follow up hard to write.

**Chapter 2**

Ronald Weasley sat in front of the Headmaster's desk waiting for his parents to arrive at Hogwarts; he couldn't believe this was happening to him. If he ever found which Slytherin closed the portal to the Express and made it that he had to use the car to get to Hogwarts leading to what happened they would meet the force of his wand, when he got it back from McGonagall that is.

The Deputy Headmistress was quite angry at the youngest Weasley male. Before Ron had even been able to do more than a quick look around the great hall after he stepped out of his father's Ford Anglia, Ron was hit with a _Petrificus Totalus_. As he tried to roll his eyes around to see who it was who cursed him the voice of his head of house came from behind him.

"Severus did you really have to assault a student on top of what just happened?" The voice of the Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration Professor Minerva McGonagall sounded exasperated as she came up from behind her younger colleague.

Severus Snape, Potions Master; both the youngest potions master and Hogwarts professor in roughly fifty years, just sneered at McGonagall's comment towards him. What he did was in his right after what happen at the opening feast, Potter was a troublemaker just like his father and his friends. Just look at how often Potter tried to get Draco in trouble last year, any other professor would judge Draco on the actions of his father as an accused Death Eater and think that Draco was cut of the same cloth and not even give the lad a chance while they pander to Potter. Well not Snape, he would watch out to make sure that the guilty was recognized for what he was and not lauded as some sort of savior and pamper prince like he expected to be treated. Realizing that his "coworkers" needed to understand this, Snape opened his mouth and spoke.

"Yes it was necessary, who knew what other kinds of trouble that redheaded menace was about to get up to after _crashing_ an auto through the ceiling of Hogwarts, and with his father being the head of The Misuse of Muggle Artifact too, oh the scandal this will cause. Of course with the number of siblings he has it's not surprising that the younger one would act out in such a fashion, just look at his twin brothers. Headmaster, it might just be prudent to expel the two youngest Weasleys now before they wreak too much havoc on Hogwarts to undo, although with the action of the youngest Weasley son it may be too much to hope that any sort of preventative measure would be successful." Winding up his diatribe, Snape turned to address McGonagall, "Congratulation Minerva, you must be so proud of how your coddling of Potter and his criminal friends have led to so much destruction and damage. Although with your handling of the boy's father it was to be suspected I would guess, just goes to show that blood will out with time." Snape finished with a triumphant smirk on his face. As McGonagall opened her mouth to rebut Snape's accusations of her house's attributes Dumbledore decided to take things in hand before they got out of control.

"**Enough!**" Dumbledore, having cast a quick _Sonorus_ spell on himself, got control of his two battling Professors. Seeing that Snape and McGonagall were going to be silent for the moment, Dumbledore quickly cast a _Quietus_ on himself so that he could talk at a reasonable volume and continued.

"I will get in contact with Arthur and Molly and request that they come here to Hogswart so that we can sit down with Ronald and figure out if there was a legitimate reason for young Ronald's spectacular arrival to Hogswart tonight. Until that time Ronald will be confined to the Gryffindor common room." Finished with his edict Dumbledore turned his attention to his two professors.

"Minerva, Severus if you would be so kind, please return to the Great Hall and oversee the finishing of tonight's Opening Feast. Also if you would be so kind as to inform the unsorted first years that we will get them sorted before their classes start this coming Monday." As Minerva and Snape started to leave the Headmaster's office Albus called his potion professor back.

"Severus, while I understand that you might have trouble dealing with Harry Potter, given his parentage, I will tell you this; if you continue to use your position as a professor to get something so petty as revenge on a dead man through his child, more importantly a child that has no memory of said man, you will be finding new employment very soon, perhaps on Azkaban." Ignoring the man's shocked look Dumbledore continued. "I hope we have substantially cleared things up. Now I believe you have classes to prepare for, please don't let me detain you." As Snape left the Headmaster's office in no little shock, Albus Dumbledore turned his attention towards his next task. Walking over to the ornate fireplace Dumbledore grabbed a pinch of floo powder, throwing the powder into the flames Dumbledore intoned, "The Burrow" and stuck his head in the flames.

Molly Weasley was in her kitchen fretting with worry; Arthur had just floo'd her from the Ministry saying that he hadn't heard anything about Ron from inter office gossip. What could have happened to her baby; did some Death Eater kidnap him and Harry while she was making sure that Ginny was alright to go to Hogwarts?

Molly and Arthur had been too focused on making sure that Ginny wasn't too worried about leaving home and going to Hogwarts for the first time to pay attention to whether or not the rest of their children (and Harry) had gotten on the Express. When she did spare a moment to look around the magical side of King Cross station and didn't see either Harry or her youngest son Ron, she just figured that the two boys had gotten on the train when she was busy with Ginny, finding Harry on the Muggle side of the station put paid to that belief.

Harry's explanation of what happened between him and Ron had Molly's feelings going in a number of different directions. She was initially angry at her son for putting himself in danger by taking Arthur's flying car off without having been trained in how to maneuver it. After she got over that she felt anger at Harry for not siding with Ron and leaving him to do something that dangerous by himself. Finally she felt rage at her husband for not listening to her and constantly tinkering with his 'muggle trash' leading them to the situation that they found themselves in.

As Molly let the soothing effect of cooking overtake her as she prepared her and Arthur dinner while she thought of what they might do now that all of their children were away from home, the floo came to life. Turning around, thinking that Arthur had news about Ron, Molly was surprised to see the face of the greatest wizard since Merlin; Albus Dumbledore peering out of the floo into her kitchen. Stepping back into her stove it was only the charms that Molly put on it to protect her children if they got to close that saved her from burning herself as she tried to come to grips with the specter of Albus in her hearth. Realizing that she had the Headmaster of Hogwarts calling on her on the first night of the new term, Molly figured something happened with her children; while any other time she would suspect that the twins were already being punish for some mischief (it wouldn't be the first time) her thoughts immediately went to her youngest who she had sent off to Hogwarts that very day. She composed herself and addressed the Headmaster, who had given her time to collect and compose herself.

"Albus, please tell me that something hasn't happened to Ginny." Molly begged the man in her floo. Her mind was a whirl with all of the things that could have befallen her baby. From not making any friends her first time on the express to being sorted into Slytherin, bringing shame to countless Weasleys in the processes, if that was the case. To her initial relief the Headmaster was quick to ally her fears.

"Molly I assure you to the best of my knowledge young Ginny is safe and secure as we speak." Smiling slightly at the way that his former student nearly clasped in relief Albus frowned to himself as he carried on with why he was calling on the Weasleys. "About young Ronald I'm afraid I cannot give such reassurances." Before Molly could start asking the questions that Albus could see were forming in her brain he continued. "I called you to inform you that while nothing life threatening has happen to Ronald, his manner of arrival at Hogwarts has led to certain developments that need to be addressed, the sooner the better. If you could get in touch with Arthur and be at Hogwarts in the next two hours I would be grateful. Now if you'll excuse me I find that I need to inform the aurors about what has happened here. We will talk more once you and Arthur arrive." Having said so, Dumbledore pulled his head out of the floo and the flames died out.

Molly wasn't sure what to think as a feeling of foreboding fell over her. She had never before, either as a student or now as a parent, been called to the headmaster's office before the winter term even started, and to think that it was because of her Ronnie and not the twins. Thinking some more, Molly became increasingly worried over the fact that Albus felt the need to call the aurors, what could Ronnie have done that required the presence of the aurors. In a rush Molly grabbed the floo powder, thankful that they had bought another bag when they took the children to get their school supplies this past summer, and called her husband's office.

Arthur Weasley, a kind man, who was seen as a bit of a fool in the Ministry due to his overwhelming interest in Muggles, was in his office getting caught up on some paperwork that had fallen to the side during the summer; partially due to the arrival of Harry Potter to his home earlier in the summer. It was to his great surprise to see his direct superior, Harfoot, along with the head of the Auror corp. Rufus Scrimgeour, and the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones, all make their way into his little office. While he dealt with Harfoot on a weekly if not daily basis and had some dealings with Scrimgeour when wizarding crimes involving muggles got out of control, Arthur hadn't had anything to do with Amelia other than the odd interoffice acknowledgement since before the war against You-know-Who was wrapped up. Arthur sat bemused behind his desk wondering what could have possibly happened to require all of them to come to his office. He didn't have to wait long before Amelia began speaking.

"I wished there was some other way of dealing with this, Arthur. It would appear that your youngest son was spotted driving a self-levitating muggle auto above the train tracks that lead to Hogwarts. This is something that has been seen and reported by numerous muggles, more than we can hope to be able to silence, regardless of what Fudge or Umbridge think. According to Cornelius, the muggle Prime Minister demanded his presence and spent two hours screaming at him for lack of security, something that Fudge was all too happy to share with me. Unfortunately, this caused quite a fall out.

Starting as soon as I leave your office you will be put on indefinite unpaid leave. However; given your position and time you have worked at the ministry I was able to get a decent severance package allowed for you. You will be paid half your annual pay for a period of ten years. Given the tone of the Minister and his lackeys I wouldn't expect you to be rehired here at the ministry at any point in the future. I'm telling you this so that you'll take the time to try to find a new job, if for no other reason than to tide you over until everything shakes out. I wish you the best of luck Arthur, and only wish that I had better news to give you." Amelia Bones finished with her hand out to shake Arthur's, resisting the urge to tear into Arthur for being stupid enough to get caught messing around with muggle items, given the man's former position in the ministry.

Stoically, Arthur shook Amelia's hand, before turning around and gathering his meager possessions with his head held high. As Amelia watched the man she had been proud to call a colleague just half an hour before wave his wand to gather up and shrink his meager personal items to take home with him, she felt like storming back into Cornelius' office to demand that Arthur be reinstated back into the ranks of the ministry, however it was not to be. This was the fallout that had been negotiated with the muggle Prime Minister.

While Prime Minister Major gave a press conference claiming that the 'flying car' that some people had claimed to see in the air in varying locations from London to the Scottish highlands was a series of timed experiments in holographic projection technology, Arthur Weasley _apparated_ in front of the Burrow. Taking a deep breath to center himself Arthur put his hand on the door knob, opened the door and walked in.

Molly Weasley came out of the kitchen, surprised to see her husband home in the middle of the day. For a brief moment the thought crossed her mind that Arthur had come home for a little 'afternoon delight' now that all of the kids were, at least temporarily, out of the house, the look on her husband's face quickly put an end to that thought.

"Arthur did you find out what happened to Ronnie? He isn't in trouble is he? Why do you have all of your trinkets from your office with you?" On her last question Molly's voice petered out as she realized that something bigger than her son's potential trouble or injury had happened.

On his way from his office to the ministry floo point, Arthur had been trying to figure what had happened with Ron that led the boy to do something as stupid as steal the car and try to fly it from London to the Scottish Highland without even the courtesy of leaving a note to let his parents know what he was planning to do. The direction his thoughts led him was not pleasing; he had apparently given his wife too free a hand with their children and let the women baby the boy when he would come to her about being teased by his elder brothers. Arthur remembered a time before things got serious with the war against You-know-who when his boys' uncles would tease and torment him in a way that both Bill and Charlie would tease Percy and Fred and George tease Ron, yet he had fought back and gotten their respect for his efforts, something that his wife's mollycoddling had not let happen for Ronald. There were other things about his youngest son, now that he started to think about it that concerned him as well.

He had heard from Fred and George, after they had come home from Hogwarts last year that Ron seemed to consider any and all food in his general vicinity his personal property and would be rather rude to anyone who would try to get something off of 'his' serving plates. Arthur was horrified the next time he watched his youngest son eat, was this how he acted at Hogwarts? When he tried, at the table to request that Ron eat more civilly, Molly over road him and told him "to leave Ronnie alone, that he was a growing boy who needed all the food he could get to grow up big and strong" at this point, realizing how futile it would be to try to discipline his son with his wife countermanding him, Arthur just sat back and didn't say anything. However, remembering that incident brought other things up that Arthur found somewhat off.

While they did have a big family, which would sometimes lead to hard times trying to raise such a family on one income, now that Arthur thought about it the Weasley's should be doing better than they appeared to be. Both the Ministry and Hogwarts provided subsidies that Arthur had filled out and filed after the twins were born that gave any family over three children a bit of a cushion until the last child graduated from Hogwarts. Arthur made a note, now that he had so much free time on his hands to check with Gingotts about the extent of the Weasley accounts. With all of these things spinning around in his head Arthur was in no mood to placate his wife.

"Molly, for once in your life be quiet, this is your fault, in how you constantly coddle and make excuses for Ron's behavior. Before I was summarily dismissed from the ministry I was told that owls had been sent out describing how blatantly I had 'broken the law' and as such I would not be hired in any position for 'decent wizarding folk', nor would any of our family be eligible to work at the ministry. That toad Umbridge was the one to write up my marching papers. Considering that she recently has acquired a position in Fudge's cabinet I can't go to Cornelius to try to plead my case to him. It would appear that I need to set out to the muggle world in order to find gainful employment. As it stands I have no idea how long it will be before I can begin bringing money to our family, therefor you are going to have to get a job, at least for the time that the children are away at school, to support us." Ignoring the horrified look on his wife's face, knowing that she thought it was beneath a women to work outside of the house Arthur continued, "If I remember correctly you scored quite high on your potion NEWTs so you should have no problem getting a job making potions for one of the apothecaries in Diagon. Hopefully in no more than six month time I will find a job in either the muggle world, or my fortunes will have changed enough that I will be able to find work in the wizarding world again."

Molly was about to give Arthur a piece of her mind regarding just what she thought about him telling her that she had to get a job. Really, all well-bred witches knew that the women's place was in the home raising the children, it was up to the men to provide for the family. Before she opened her mouth to tear into her husband the Weasley matriarch remembered Albus' floo call. Grasping her husband's arm for emotional stability, something that confused and slightly scared Arthur, due to the fact that his wife appeared to be readying herself to show her Prewett temper, she instead went white to such an extent that her freckles stood out in stark relief.

"Molly what is it, I know that you believe that a witches place is at home but with our circumstances I don't see what we can do. I will try to get gainful employment but with the ministry against me it might be hard going to begin with." Arthur took a breath to continue his prattling but he never got the chance to continue as Molly began to tell Arthur about the floo call she'd taken right before he'd gotten home.

"Arthur, something is wrong with Ronnie! The auto apparently malfunctioned," here Molly stopped her explanation to send her husband a withering glare, before she continued, "causing Ron to crash through the ceiling of the great hall during the opening feast. Apparently no one was injured, thank Merlin, but we have been requested to appear in Albus' office as soon as I was able to get in contact with you." Molly finished her explanation full of nerves over what happened to her Ronnie and whether this would influence Ginny's sorting into Gryffindor, eventually getting close to Harry and getting the wizard to marry the hero of the wizarding world.

Hearing that one of his children had been injured made Arthur's anger at his wife fade for the time being. With his freckles showing in stark contrast of his shocked white face, Arthur strode over to the floo and grabbing the floo powder, threw it into the flames while calling 'Hogwarts, headmaster's office'. Bending down to stick his head in the green flames, Arthur wondered what else could go wrong today.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts couldn't believe how today had turned out. Instead of a regular, calm sorting of the incoming students, including the Weasley's youngest, he had to deal with a serious amount of damage to the structure of Hogwarts which was caused by one of the Weasleys he was just thinking of and a muggle auto. Both Minerva and Flitwick had assured him, after taking a broomride to inspect it, that the roof wouldn't be that difficult to repair although it might cost more than he was willing to spend. Normally he would go to the board and request an endowment towards the running of the school, but with so many of them either in the pocket of Lucius, or scared by the man into doing his bidding, this year wasn't a good year to request additional funds.

Thinking over his problem, Dumbledore supposed his best option would be to fall on the fond memories that so many alumnus of Hogwarts had of their time in the castle and request donations for the repair of the Great Hall's ceiling. If he phrased it right he could get enough funds to fix up more than just the ceiling too. With dreams of what he and Hogwarts could do with that sort of money Dumbledore turned his chair to face his fireplace as he heard the floo connect. The sight that was revealed to him drove all thoughts of fundraising from his mind, as he looked at Arthur Weasley's head in his fireplace.

"Albus, I just heard from Molly about Ron crashing my auto through the ceiling of The Great Hall. I was hoping that she and I could come through and see Ron and make sure he's ok before we come back and talk to you about what the Weasley family has to do to fix this unfortunate accident." Arthur said humbly, feeling ashamed on behalf of his son.

Dumbledore, after listening to Arthur and seeing how penitent the wizard seemed to be felt that there might be a way out of this mess that wouldn't leave him; 'The greatest wizard since Merlin', with egg on his face. Steepling his hands in front of his face Dumbledore sent the Weasley head his well-practiced 'I am very disappointed in you' look that had the ability to shame all but the most disobedient student. Arthur's face flushed as he felt as if he was an ickle firsty being called to the headmaster's office for some offence or other, instead of a grown man; husband and father to seven children. Seeing that Arthur appeared that he would listen to 'reason' Dumbledore nodded his assent. Upon Albus' response Arthur and Molly came through the floo.

Ron, who had been sitting in front of the Headmaster's desk as soon as they got him out of the Ford, couldn't believe what was happening. This was all Harry's fault; if he had agreed to go with Ron in the auto to Hogwarts than they wouldn't have gotten punished, what with Harry being 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and all. So deep in his own pity party that Ron didn't even notice the noise created by his parents coming through until his was swept up in his mother's smothering embrace.

"Mum!" The youngest son of Arthur and Molly exclaimed as he was clutched by his mother. Ron couldn't believe how big of an embarrassment his mother had become in the last few months, first with her twittering about him being able to spend time with that twit Lockhart, not to mention how she acted in the bookstore this summer, to her treating him like a baby, now Ron wished for a distraction so he wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment anymore.

As Albus opened his mouth to get the discussion started to his surprise his floo activated again, to his shock the face of Amelia Bones; the head of the DMLE sat floating in the fire. Quickly closing his gaping mouth Albus was about to request that Amelia contact him later when she spoke and momentarily took the wind out of his sails.

"Albus, the muggle Prime Minister has been in contact with Minister Fudge and demanded a report on why there was such an egregious violation of the Status of Secrecy. Apparently their news has been inundating the muggle government with questions about what happened earlier today.

Due to this, I need to have my aurors question misters Weasley and Potter. A team will be by shortly, to get both verbal and pensive testimony. I realize that this may cause some problems with the opening feast but you can see that the security of the status of secrecy is more important than Hogwarts' open feast happening today." Amelia explained to Albus.

Albus, ignoring Severus' rantings about Harry, agreed to Amelia's demands with ill-conceived displeasure. After what happened at Hogwarts last spring he hoped not to have ministry personnel at his school for quite some time; nothing good came of their sticking their noses in Hogwarts' business, he felt.

Amelia Bones, with her auror guards, stepped through the floo with a calm dignified manner; befitting a women who had risen as high as she had among the slightly misogynistic British ministry. Nodding slightly to Arthur, she focused her attention of Dumbledore.

The man many believed to be the next coming of Merlin was dressed in lurid bright orange robes with swirls of bluish-green, making an effect not unlike the lava lamp that Amelia had seen visiting one of her muggleborn classmates in the summer of her time at Hogwarts. Privately, Amelia was under the opinion that the reason that Albus wore such robes was as a distraction; if you spent all of your time trying to figure out the man's robes you weren't paying attention to what he was saying and would agree to things that you wouldn't normally if you were in your right mind. The best way that Amelia had found to counteract the robes effects was to make sure to take a wit-sharpening potion whenever she knew that she might have to go and talk to the Headmaster. The potions seemed to help hold off the worst effects of the man's robes so that she was able to get her business done.

Looking around, she saw all of the people that the initial reports said were involved with the incident. Arthur she had already seen when she had gotten his preliminary report when she unfortunately had to fire him over today's incident. Also present was Albus' deputy Minerva as well as Hogwarts potion professor Severus Snape, a 'reformed' death eater that Amelia thought should have been at the very least sequestered and questioned under veritaserum to get whatever information he knew about You-know-who plans and forces before being unilaterally pardoned on Dumbledore's say-so. After her appeals were struck down she had investigated on her own time and had almost enough to go forward. Maybe today would give her the ammunition she needed to finally get one over on the sallow potion master.

Looking towards the youngest person in the room Amelia felt sorry for Arthur and Molly's youngest. Whatever happened today would probably cost him quite a bit, both now and in the future. Clearing her throat, Amelia open her mouth and addressed everyone there.

"I see that all the necessary parties are here so let's get started. Perhaps if we finish this in time I will be able to have dinner with Susan." Having said that Amelia took a self- dictating quill out of her robes pocket along with some parchment which she placed on Albus' desk. After checking to make sure the charms on the quill were in good working order Amelia faced the rest of the room.

"Who wants to go first?" Amelia asked, before the room descended into chaos.

**A/N 2****:** Please review, let me know how you think the story is going; what you like, what can be improved. Thnx.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After the occupants of Dumbledore's office had settled it was decided that an empty classroom would be set up as an area to interview all of the participants in what was being referred to as 'the auto incident'. Dumbledore tried to keep the interviews sequestered to his office, citing that he wouldn't want rumors about either Ron or Harry's meeting to get around Hogwarts and damage their second year there. To Dumbledore's annoyance, Amelia informed him that the ministry was already being asked questions by the British Prime Minister, and that it was just a matter of time before the Prophet picked it up.

Ronald Weasley sat in a chair facing the front of the room with his parents on either side of him, his mother grasping his hand tightly in hers. In front of him was Madame Bones and an Auror she'd introduced as Kingsley Shacklebolt. Ron was just about to open his mouth and demand to know what was going on when Madame Bones tapped what Ron knew was a recording crystal, while Auror Shacklebolt activated a diction quill, and began to talk.

"Interview with underaged wizard Ronald Billus Weasley, age twelve. Ministry advocate for the minor wizard, the lad's father; Arthur Weasley, former ministry employee, Misuse of Muggle artifacts, a subdivision of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Scope of interview is to look at events that happened this Seventh of September, Nineteen Ninety Two. Manner of record; recording crystal as well as a diction quill and parchment." Looking towards Arthur, Amelia addressed her next question to her former coworker.

"Do you Arthur Weasley, head of the Weasley family, consent to the questioning of your son at this time?" Amelia asked in the gentlest tone she could use in a proceeding like this. Arthur was about to reply in the affirmative when Molly opened her mouth and start to give her unwanted opinion.

"No, we don't consent to the questioning of our son at this time Amelia, what is wrong with you?" Molly shouted, shocked at how her son was being treated. The Weasleys were one on the most well know light sided pureblood families, they should be given the respect they deserved, not treated with suspicion like criminals. Getting ready to give Amelia a piece of her mind, Molly was shocked when she opened her mouth to find that she had been silenced. Glaring at the aurors in the room who she thought had silenced her, Molly had another surprise coming to her.

"Molly, be quite, I warned you before we came here what would happen if you acted this way." Arthur said sternly to his wife, rising in esteem in the eye of his fellow ministry workers; who would joke, when Arthur wasn't around, that Molly was the one who 'waved the wand' in the Weasley family. Looking towards Amelia, Arthur answered her question.

"Yes, I give permission for Ronald to be questioned, I only ask that the questioner be gentle. The lad is our youngest son and as such we've granted him allowances that weren't warranted to his brothers that may have lead the lad to grow to feel entitled, thinking that because his mother dotes on him so much he would never really get punished for his actions." Arthur finish, getting up to remove a resisting Molly, with his head hung in shame.

Amelia felt a twinge of sympathy for her old co-worker but the law was clear, anyone suspected of wrong doings was to be questioned by an auror, accompanied as back up by a more experienced auror of no less than ten years on the job. As she watched Arthur and Molly walk out of the interrogation room, Arthur having resorted to casting _Pertrificus Totalus_ (Petrification spell) and _Wingardium Leviosa_ (Levitation Spell) in order to get his wife to actually accompany him.

While Amelia and the aurors sat in silence, waiting for Arthur to come back Ron was quietly freaking out. While he had realized that his actions with the car would be considered bad especially after he had gotten to Hogwarts, Ron had felt safe in the fact that he was an underage wizard protecting him from the worst of whatever punishment there would have been. The fact that his father had walk out and left him to the wolves, taking his mother who in the past had always made excuses of him being the baby and forgiving him any trouble he had gotten in, made Ron start to consider the seriousness that he was in. Still Ron felt if Harry had been in the car with him than he wouldn't be in this predicament. His Father stepping back into the room stopped the panic attack Ron was feeling, what Amelia Bones said next brought the panic right back, making him feel as though someone had thrown icy water over him.

"This is a preliminary examination of the destruction of the Great Hall ceiling which happened at Hogwarts this afternoon the first of September 1992; assumed defendant Ronald Bilius Weasley, to be questioned first among the relevant witnesses." Amelia took a breath and seeing the goblet of pumpkin juice to the right of her, picked it up and took a drink. Putting down her goblet she addressed the boy in front of her.

"Are you Ronald Weasley the youngest son of Arthur and Molly Weasley of Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon?" Amelia asked Ron.

Ron was still looking towards his parents, more so his mother, expecting them to get him out of the predicament he seemed to have gotten himself in. Unfortunately, he was quickly brought out of thinking that his parents would handle everything by his father.

"Ronald answer the woman's question." Arthur's quite, calm command made Ron jump in his chair and turn to look at the auror who was slightly frowning at him. Swallowing Ron gave a jerky nod.

"Please answer verbally for the records." Amelia instructed.

"Yes." Ron said in a small voice. Upon sensing her baby boy's nervousness Molly starting glaring at the other occupants of the room as she opened her mouth to tell them all what she thought of how deplorable they were treating her Ronnie. Unfortunately for her, but fortunately for everyone else's hearing, Arthur had the foresight to cast a wordless _silencio_ (**Silencing Charm)** at Molly when she wasn't paying attention. By the look his wife shot him Arthur was aware that she was not pleased with him but right now his focus was seeing that his son answered for himself and his actions.

"And did you, earlier this morning, steal a illegally modified muggle automobile and use it to get to Hogwarts, causing no less than", and here Amelia referenced a piece of parchment that she had brought with her, "twenty-seven muggle at last check to report the sight of a flying auto to either the muggle auror's or the muggle new services, upon where you crashed into the ceiling of the Hogwarts great hall causing both structural and monetary damages which still have to be determined." Ignoring the groaning that her news caused Amelia stared at Ron waiting for an answers. Feeling put upon Ron's temper, unfortunately, got the best of him

"It's all Harry's fault, if perfect Potter had just agreed to taking the car to Hogwarts than you would all be lauding me for getting the Boy-Who-Lived to Hogwarts." Ron snarled, doing a fantastic impression of Severus Snape in the process, unfortunately his outburst caused Madame Bones to focus on something like a terrier with a bone.

"What does Harry Potter have to do with your destruction of the ancient Great Hall ceiling with a muggle auto?" Madame Bones asked puzzled by the sudden turn in the interrogation.

"Harry was with me when I decide that we should fly the car to Hogwarts, but the pansy didn't want to get into any more trouble after what the house-elf did to the muggles that he got blamed for, when I told him how we should get to school." Ron stated with a sneer, so caught up in his self-pity party that he didn't see the mingled looks of disgust, horror and sadness about how he was speaking about one of the most beloved people in wizarding Britain, not that he would have cared if he had, the mood Ron was in. After a few minutes trying to get her head around the youngest Weasley son's attempt to accuse the savior of the wizarding world for his troubles, Amelia jotted some notes down on the parchment she had brought with her, finishing that she refocused on the wizard in front of her and got back to business.

"Did Mr. Potter make any attempt to keep you from taking Arthur's modified car, or did he just stand to the side and let you precede with your plan after you voiced it?" Amelia asked, in order to get the facts straight. Ron's answer, while it cleared up who was responsible for egregious use of magic in front of numerous muggles, made Amelia wonder what Arthur and Molly were telling their children that lead to their youngest son behaving this way.

"No, the pansy, should've been an stinking Slytherin, just tried to keep me from getting to Hogwarts by grabbing my arm and telling me we needed to wait for mum and dad, like a Gryffindor waits around when there's action to be taken. Anyway, I got into dad's car and started flying here, once I got here the charms dad placed on it must have worn off and the car fell onto the ceiling of the Great Hall. Don't know why the car fell through the roof though, some stinking Slytherin must have messed with the charms on the ceiling." Ron finished his explanation, sat back as crossed his arms across his chest like he hadn't done anything wrong and was in the right about what happened.

Arthur sat and stared at his son with a look of horror, shock and sadness on his face, unable to believe that his son would act this way about anyone, not the least the boy who in losing his parents brought them all freedom from the tyranny and oppression of You-Know-Who and his followers, who was supposedly his youngest son's best friend. While still feeling somewhat annoyed that he had been fired, Arthur began to see it as a good thing given that being the parent who, for the immediate future, would be at home be the parent he could try to cure his youngest son of this entitlement complex he seemed to have. He was about to say something, in all honestly he wouldn't be sure if you asked him latter what he was going to say when there was a knock at the door to Albus office. With a look like she expected this Amelia replied.

"Come in." The head of the DMLE said. Upon hearing his boss speaking a tall black man draped in the traditional crimson robes of an auror open the door and stepped in. the auror noticed Arthur and gave him a respectful nod. Upon closer examination Arthur realized that the auror was Kingsley Shacklebolt, one of the premier aurors in the force, if he was at Hogwarts investigating this then the situation was much more serious than he had believed Arthur realized with dismay. As Arthur was coming to grips with his families' potential future Shacklebolt spoke.

"Upon our initial investigation of the ceiling of the Great Hall it does not appear that there has been any immediate tampering with the magic that protects the ceiling. That being said it does appear that the wards on the ceiling/roof of the Great Hall have either been significantly weaken over the years by someone or the wards that protect that part of Hogwarts have been allowed to lapse to the point that this was able to happen. I was told that if the wards were at full strength than the auto that young Mr. Weasley crashed through the ceiling would have come to rest on the roof of the Great Hall and someone would have probably have required a broom to go up and get him. This is the end of my preliminary report, if you have any other questions I will be in the Great Hall with the rest of the team." ,bowing Kingsley turned and walked out of the classroom that Amelia was using to return to the overseeing of the investigation/repair of the Great Hall roof.

After Shacklebolt finish delivering his report, Amelia turned to look at Ronald Weasley, to her shock, the boy didn't look remotely repentant after hearing what the consequences of his actions where. Wondering again about the way the Molly was raising her children Amelia turn to Kingsley and ordered him to do an extensive search.

"King, go to the Hogwarts ward room, check the state of the wards and of the ward stone. Once you have done that go to the ministry and get in contact with Philpott and have him check the enchantments that are monitoring Hogwarts, especially the ceiling." Not noticing Dumbledore's slight frown that someone could be monitoring Hogwarts for any reason without his permission Amelia continued.

"After you're done at the ministry, go by Gringotts and ask to speak to the goblins in charge of building and warding about fixing the Great Hall ceiling. Given what has happened today it certainly appears that the maintenance that should have been done on the ceiling wasn't kept up and as such Hogwarts could be looking at s bigger problem than just what happened today." Finishing her assignment to her subordinate Amelia turn back to Albus, smirking at the frown on his face. With the most sincere look on her face Amelia addressed the headmaster.

"Is something amiss Albus? I was just trying to help you fix the problem you have with The Great Hall in the most expedient manner possible. After all you still have this difficulty with young Ronald to hash out, not to mention your slightly delayed welcoming feast to prepare for. I would think that you would appreciate whatever help you could get to resolve these disturbances as quickly as possible." Amelia finish her statement with a look on her face that suggested that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Realizing that continuing in this direction would show him in a bad fashion, Albus made a note to repay Amelia, before turning his attention to young Ronald and the lad's parents sitting in front of his desk.

"It is my unfortunate task to tell you that the expense of repairs will be added to the costs of Ronald's tuition for the length of time he is a student here at Hogwarts by a factor of 15%, if that turns out to not be enough than the other children's tuition will be raised by 5% across the board, with further fines if the payments are not made in a timely fashion." Dumbledore stated to the surprise of almost everyone in the office, Molly especially had seen Dumbledore as a savior of the Weasley family she was shocked he was acting so cruelly to them. While Dumbledore was finished with 'disciplining' the Weasley parents he still has some punishment to deliver to Ron.

"Also, for the entire year, Ronald will be in nightly detention with our new DADA professor, Professor Lockheart, who has requested that any student assigned detentions be sent to him this year, unless he gets too busy, something that I don't have a problem granting." Having finished 'laying down the law' as it was for young Ronald and the rest of the Weasley's continued stay at Hogwarts, Albus sat back in his chair, crossed his hands over his stomach and look at the rest of the occupants of his office waiting for them to say something.

Molly was shocked by what Dumbledore had said; she had always seen the Headmaster as a guardian of the Weasley family. Especially after that business with the Malfoy family that had caused them to lose their family fortune, and manor. Hearing him act like her and Arthur were responsible for how Ronnie was acting; well, it was true that she sort of lost sight of Ron once she had given birth to Ginevra and somewhat allowed him to his own devices a little more than she probably should have, but there was no way to tell that he was going to do something like this. This was something that she thought she would have to look after the twins about not her baby Ronnie. Having the Headmaster treat her this way was the last straw of this horrid day, realizing that she made a decision.

"Children, gather up all of what you brought with you to Hogwarts, we will be leaving right away." Molly announced, not swayed by Percy falling on his knees in a position of pleading.

"Mother, please, this is my chance to get picked to be next year's Head Boy. If you pull us out of Hogwarts now the damage to my future at the Ministry could be unthinkable. Why I might have to get a job as an apprentice and work my way sideways." Suddenly a thought struck him that made him pale even more so than he already was.

"I might even have to join the Aurors!" Percy declared with a wail of horror, attracting a glare from Madame Bones, who in his horror Percy forgot was still in the room.

Now to understand Percy dislike of the Aurors you have to understand a little bit about the history of the Prewetts. Both of Molly brothers, during the first Voldemort War wanted to show that they weren't afraid of Voldie and signed up with the Aurors right out of Hogwarts. It was during a routine sweep of Diagon Alley that Gideon and Fabian came across Bellatrix LeStrange on a 'recruitment drive' i.e. threating various shop owners to fall in line with Voldemort's 'policy for a purer wizarding world'.

The battle between Molly's brothers and Bellatrix was the stuff legends were made of. It was said in the Aurors ranks, that Gideon and Fabian annihilated an entire battalion of You-Know-Who's force before being brought down by overwhelming force, right before their back up showed up as well. The Weasley's had to hide under the Fidelius Charm for the rest of the war after the dust clear from Gideon and Fabian's last stand.

Seeing as this happened mid-way through the 70's, during the tail end of You-Know-Who's rein, Molly wasn't able to see her children mix with 'proper' families due to the Weasley family being hidden under the Fidelius Charm during prime relationship building time for the children their age. This being one of the reasons Molly had felt that her two eldest children picked so poorly when it came to them choosing their careers. Something that it seemed Arthur's obsession with Muggles might lead Percival into as well. Molly scooped Percy up into her arms and clutching him tight to her like he was much younger than he actually was she set about to reassure him.

"There, there now Percy; mummy will make all of this turn out right, you'll see." Seeing that Percy seemed to be getting himself back together like a Gryffindor should, Molly reluctantly let him pull back from her. Conjuring a tissue, Molly set to work drying the tears that Percy cried while still reassuring her favorite son.

"Don't worry Percy, mummy gonna keep you right here under her wing, and make sure that everything turns out right for you. You're mothers going to check out all your girlfriends for you. And mamma won't let anyone dirty get through. Mamma's gonna wait up until you come in. She won't let you fly but she might let you sing. Mamma's gonna keep baby cozy and warm. And mamma will always find out where you've been. Mamma's gonna keep baby healthy and clean. Don't worry you'll always be mamma's baby." Molly finished comforting Percy and led him back to his chair.

After Amelia brought herself back from gawking in outrage shock at the relationship between Molly and her middle son she sent a stern glare at Auror trainee Nymphadora 'just call me Tonks' Tonks, who seemed to have started humming some song soon after Molly started to consoles her son. Given that Shacklebolt seemed to be internally debating between chastising Tonks and breaking down in helpless laughter Amelia felt it best if she took the matter in hand herself. 

"Auror Trainee Tonks, please refrain from that distracting humming." Amelia chastised Tonks while shooting a glare at a snickering Shacklebolt which thankfully seemed to make him fall in line as well. Turning back to the Weasley family she addressed the still hyperventilating wizard.

"Percival, you don't have to worry about joining the Aurors," seeing the lad starting to look relieved Amelia spoke again, twisting the knife just so. "With this kind of mark against your family you'll probably have to look outside of Britain to find a job anyways." Ignoring the fainting Weasley matriarch and her bespectacled offspring, Amelia addressed Arthur.

"Ronald will have to come by the Ministry for follow up questioning, say tomorrow, afternoon tea?" Seeing Ronald struggling with no words coming out of his mouth Amelia glanced towards Arthur, who nodded. Smiling Amelia started to step through the floo before being interrupted by Severus Snape.

"What about Prince Potter, what's his punishment going to be?" Snape, who had come in with Shacklebolt, demanded, glowering at the son of his childhood enemy. Hearing Snape's demand Amelia wondered why Albus kept the Death Eater around. Brushing away her darker thoughts Amelia turned and addressed the Hogwarts Potions professor, trying to ignore the bizarre sight of Ronald Weasley, or any Weasley, in agreement with the Head of Slytherin.

"Why should we punish Harry? From our questioning it is clear he didn't have anything to do with Ronald's taking the auto to Hogwarts and destroying the school. In fact," here Amelia pull a scroll out of her robes, "from the interview he had with my aurors, Harry tried his best to stop Ronald from doing what he did today."

Hearing that Harry was apparently going to get away scot free was too much for Snape, faster than the aurors had anticipated, he had Harry out of his seat and press against a wall. With his left hand Snape dug around in his robe. With a look of triumph on his face the potions professor started to pull something out of his robe. Before Snape had gotten whatever it was out a shout of '_Stupify'_ had the professor slumped against Harry, who was still stuck, trapped against the wall.

"Could someone please get the professor off of me?!" Harry politely requested, well maybe not so politely. Still, Snape actions, towards him and anyone else not in Slytherin allowed for a bit of rudeness in Harry's book regardless of Mrs. Weasley or Dumbledore's beliefs to the contrary.

Soon after having said this Harry felt the weight of his potions professor being lifted off of him. A small part of him wondered if it was done with a _Wingardium Leviosa_, but Harry was too relieved to have the professor off of him to question the method by which it was done.

Amelia Bones was incensed, this 'reform Death Eater' was the kind of person that were allowed to call itself a professor and teach at Hogwarts. She had originally thought that her niece's complaints over the summer about the potions professor were just a girl having to come to grips with the fact that not everyone was going to like or get along with you. Now Amelia realized she should have paid more attention to Susan, and owed the girl an apology. Quickly calming herself down she turned to Shacklebolt.

"Please escort _Professor_ Snape to an interview room at the Ministry, King." Amelia commanded Shacklebolt. Seeing the Auror and most likely former professor out of the office Amelia turn back around and lit into Dumbledore just as the man was opening his mouth to chastise her.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here, Albus? Letting a professor, especially one with a criminal record, absolved or not", Amelia added, seeing Dumbledore opening his mouth to make the same excuse he always would whenever anyone had the gall to complain about Severus. "attack The-Boy-Who-Lived. If the result of our investigation into Severus' behavior over the years turn out the way I expect it to I would suggest that you start looking for replacement Potion teach immediately."

Having said this Amelia turned and left Albus to his business. The venerated Headmaster of Hogwarts slumped in his seat in dismay. First the ceiling of The Great Hall gets destroyed by the youngest sons of one of his biggest supporters, now his potion professor has been arrested. Did no one other than him understand that some 'difficulties' must be allowed for the greater good. On the bright side, hopefully this was the end of the difficulties this year; Albus thought to himself. Little did he know how much worse things were going to get.

**A/N****:** Please review.


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